Log-in control apparatus, control method of log-in control apparatus, and information terminal

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment, a log-in control apparatus has a processor which controls an operation for log-in to an information terminal moving along with a carrier for carrying a commodity to be purchased. The processor detects a state in which the commodity is placed on the carrier, in cooperation with a sensor attached to the carrier. The processor detects the operation for log-in to the information terminal, in cooperation with an input device included in the information terminal. When the processor detects the operation for log-in, in a case in which the processor detects the state in which the commodity is placed on the carrier, the processor judges that the operation for log-in is ineffective.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority fromthe prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-080128, filed on Apr. 18,2018, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate generally to a log-in controlapparatus, a control method of a log-in control apparatus, and aninformation terminal having a function of a log-in control apparatus.

BACKGROUND

Recently, in retail stores such as a supermarket, a cart POS system hasbeen considered in order to eliminate congestion. The cart POS systemuses a shopping cart provided with an information terminal having ascanner and so on. The information terminal accepts an operation forlog-in by a customer. When the log-in is approved, the informationterminal becomes able to perform information processing. A customerwhose log-in has been approved walks around a sales floor with theshopping cart. At the time of putting a commodity which the customertries to purchase into the shopping cart, the customer makes the scannerread a bar code of the commodity to register sales data of the commodityinto the information terminal. The customer who has finishedregistration of the sales data of the commodity performs accountingusing a counting machine installed in an accounting place. In the cartPOS system like this, since the registration work is performed on thesales floor, it is estimated that congestion of the accounting placewill be eliminated.

In the store in which the cart POS system is introduced, there is apossibility that a commodity whose sales data has not been registered istaken out from the store without being subjected to accounting,depending on an action of a customer. Accordingly, it is considered tomake the information terminal have a function to detect that a commoditywhose sales data has not been registered is put into a shopping cart.But, the information terminal does not perform information processinguntil the log-in of the customer is approved. Accordingly, when thecommodity whose sales data has not been registered has been put into theshopping cart before the operation of log-in, the commodity cannot bedetected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a whole configuration of a cart POS systemaccording to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a layout example of a storewhich has introduced the cart POS system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the informationterminal included in the cart POS system shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a cart attached withthe information terminal.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an information processing which theprocessor of the information terminal executes.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing an information processing which theprocessor of the information terminal executes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to one embodiment, a log-in control apparatus controls anoperation for log-in to an information terminal moving along with acarrier for carrying a commodity to be purchased by a customer. Thelog-in control apparatus has a sensor, an input device, a memory, and aprocessor. The sensor is attached to the carrier, and detects a state ofan area in which the commodity is placed on the carrier to output adetection result. The input device accepts the operation for log-in tothe information terminal to input information for log-in. The memorystores a program to control the operation for log-in. The processorexecutes the program to detect a state in which whether or not thecommodity is placed on the carrier, based on the detection result of thesensor attached to the carrier. Further, the processor detects theoperation for log-in when the information for log-in is inputted by theinput device. Further, when the processor detects the operation forlog-in, in a case in which the processor detects the state in which thecommodity is placed on the carrier, the processor judges that theoperation for log-in is ineffective.

Hereinafter, a log-in control apparatus according to an embodiment willbe described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the samesymbols indicate the same or the similar portions. In addition, a log-incontrol apparatus to control log-in to an information terminal attachedto a shopping cart to be used in a cart POS (Point of Sale) system willbe exemplified in the embodiment. For details, the embodiment will bedescribed supposing that the information terminal has a function as thelog-in control apparatus.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a whole configuration of a cart POS systemaccording to the present embodiment. The cart POS system has a storeserver 10, a POS terminal 20, an accounting machine 30, an informationterminal 40 and a monitoring terminal 50. The information terminal 40 isattached to a shopping cart C shown in FIG. 4, for example.

The store server 10, the POS terminal 20 and the accounting machine 30are connected to a network 60, such as a LAN (Local Area Network). Anaccess point 70 is also connected to the network 60. Each of theinformation terminal 40 and the monitoring terminal 50 has a radio unit.The information terminal 40 and the monitoring terminal 50 perform radiocommunication with the access point 70. The access point 70 relayscommunication between the respective devices connected to the network 60that are the store server 10, the POS terminal 20 and the accountingmachine 30, and the information terminal 40 and the monitoring terminal50.

The POS terminals 20, the accounting machines 30 and the informationterminals 40 may be provided respectively by plural numbers in onestore. The monitoring terminals 50 and the access points 70 may also beprovided respectively by two or more depending on a scale of the store,and so on.

The store server 10 communicates with a customer terminal via a publicnetwork. The customer terminals are a tablet terminal, a smartphone, apersonal computer, and so on which a customer possesses, for example.The public network is Internet, for example.

The store server 10 has a commodity database 11 and a member database12. The commodity database 11 and the member database 12 may be storedin a storage device which the store server 10 has. In addition, thecommodity database 11 and the member database 12 may be stored in astorage device of another device connected to the store server 10.

The commodity database 11 stores a commodity data record. The commoditydata record is created for each commodity to be sold in the store. Thecommodity data record includes items of a commodity ID (IdentificationData), a commodity name, a price, and so on. The commodity ID is aunique code set for each commodity for individually identifying eachcommodity. The commodity name and the price are a name of the commodityand a sales price per commodity which are to be identified by thecommodity ID.

The member database 12 stores a member data record. The member datarecord is created for each customer who has made member registrationsuch as a customer loyalty points member. The member data recordincludes items of a member ID, a log-in password, and so on. The memberID is a unique code set for each member for individually identifyingeach member. The member has a recording medium in which the member ID isrecorded. The recording mediums are a magnetic card, a contact type IC(Integrated Circuit) card, a noncontact type IC card, a smartphone, andso on, for example. The log-in password is a character string which themember has set arbitrarily. Characters of the character string include anumeral, an alphabet, a symbol, and so on. The store server 10arbitrarily updates the log-in password of the relevant member bycommunicating with the customer terminal which the customer possesses.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a layout example of the storewhich has introduced the cart POS system. A shopping cart which acustomer M1 who is a purchaser uses at the time of doing shopping in thestore has the information terminal 40. In the following description, theshopping cart is referred to as a cart C. The cart C is an example of acarrier to carry a commodity to be purchased. A dolly, a cart or thelike can become an example of the carrier. The customer M1 becomes auser of the information terminal 40. The customer M1 walks around thesales floor with the cart C, and places a commodity which the customertries to purchase that is a so-called purchased commodity on the cart C.When placing the purchased commodity on the cart C, the customer M1operates the information terminal 40 to perform registration of thepurchased commodity. After having performed registration of thepurchased commodity, the customer M1 goes to a face-to face register G1or a self register G2. The customer M1 pays a price of the purchasedcommodity at the face-to face register G1 or the self register G2 toperform accounting of the commercial transaction. After having finishedthe accounting, the customer M1 performs bagging of the purchasedcommodity at a sacker table SU, if needed.

At the face to face register G1, a cashier M2 who is a sales clerk incharge of accounting service performs a registration operation and anaccounting operation of the purchased commodity. The face-to-faceregister G1 has the POS terminal 20. The face-to-face register G1 has ascanner SC. The scanner SC may be a stationary type or a hand-held type.The cashier M2 performs a scan operation of a bar code of the purchasedcommodity one by one using the scanner SC to register sales data of thepurchased commodity into the POS terminal 20. The POS terminal 20calculates a settlement amount of the registered purchased commodities.The customer M1 pays a price corresponding to the settlement amount tothe cashier M2. It is possible to pay the price with cash, a creditcard, electronic money, customer loyalty points, a cash voucher such asa gift certificate, or the like. The POS terminal 20 is an example of acommodity sales processing device to perform processings of registrationand accounting of the purchased commodity. The POS terminal 20 is anexisting POS terminal which is used in a store having the face-to-faceregister G1.

At the self register G2, the customer M1 performs registration andaccounting processings of the purchased commodity by oneself. The selfregister G2 has the accounting machine 30. When the customer M1 operatesthe information terminal 40, the store server 10 calculates a settlementamount of the registered purchased commodities. The store server 10notifies the calculated settlement amount to the accounting machine 30via the network 60. The customer M1 pays a price corresponding to thesettlement amount to the accounting machine 30 to which theabove-described settlement amount has been notified. It is possible topay the price with cash, a credit card, electronic money, loyalty rewardpoints, or the like. The accounting machine 30 is an existing accountingmachine which is used in a store system of a semi-self service system,for example.

An attendant counter AT is provided in the vicinity of the self registerG2. As described above, in the store of the present embodiment, thecustomer M1 operates the information terminal 40 and the accountingmachine 30, and thereby the customer M1 can consistently performprocessings from the registration of the purchased commodities to theaccounting thereof by oneself. However, on the other hand, a status canoccur in which a sales clerk has to intervene by any means. For example,there is a case in which a special sales person has to performinformation provision to the customer M1 to purchase drug medicine. Forexample, there is also a case in which the customer M1 has performedscanning of a bar code of a commodity by the information terminal 40,but the customer M1 does not sense that the scanning has been resultedin an error and the commodity registration has not been performed. Alsoin the accounting machine 30, there is a case in which an error suchthat coins are clogged or receipt sheets are run out is generated, forexample. In order to rapidly deal with the status like this, anattendant M3 who is a sales clerk in charge of service is permanentlystationed at the attendant counter AT. The monitoring terminal 50 isprovided at the attendant counter AT. The attendant M3 monitors thestate of each of the information terminals 40 and the accountingmachines 30 using the monitoring terminal 50.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the informationterminal 40. The information terminal 40 has a processor 41, a mainmemory 42, an auxiliary storage device 43, a radio device 44, a touchpanel 45, a scanner 46, a reader 47, a first sensor 48A, a second sensor48B and a system transmission path 49. The system transmission path 49includes an address bus, a data bus, a control signal line, and so on.In the information terminal 40, the processor 41, the main memory 42,the auxiliary storage device 43, the radio device 44, the touch panel45, the scanner 46, the reader 47, the first sensor 48A and the secondsensor 48B are connected to the system transmission path 49. In theinformation terminal 40, a computer is composed of the processor 41, themain memory 42 and the auxiliary storage device 43, and the systemtransmission path 49 to connect these.

The processor 41 is a nerve center portion of the above-describedcomputer. The processor 41 controls the respective portions of theinformation terminal 40 so as to realize various functions as theinformation terminal 40, in accordance with an operating system and anapplication program. The processor 41 is a CPU (Central ProcessingUnit), for example.

The main memory 42 is a main storage portion of the above-describedcomputer. The main memory 42 includes a non-volatile memory area and avolatile memory area. The main memory 42 uses the non-volatile memoryarea as a program area to store the operating system and the applicationprogram. The main memory 42 may store data which is necessary when theprocessor 41 executes the processing for controlling the respectiveportions, in the non-volatile memory area or the volatile memory area.The main memory 42 uses the volatile memory area, as a work area inwhich data is arbitrarily rewritten by the processor 41. Thenon-volatile memory area is a ROM (Read Only Memory), for example. Thevolatile memory area is a RAM (Random Access Memory), for example.

The auxiliary storage device 43 is an auxiliary storage portion of theabove-described computer. An EEPROM (Electric Erasable ProgrammableRead-only Memory), an HDD (Hard Disc Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive),or the like is the auxiliary storage device 43. The auxiliary storagedevice 43 stores data which the processor 41 uses at the time ofperforming various processings, and data created by the processing ofthe processor 41. The auxiliary storage device 43 may store theabove-described application program.

The touch panel 45 is a device which is provided with both of an inputdevice and a display device of the information terminal 40. The touchpanel 45 accepts an operation for log-in, for example, and inputsinformation for log-in, as the input device. The information for log-inincludes a log-in password, a member ID, and so on. The information forlog-in to be inputted into the touch panel 45 is a log-in password, forexample. The touch panel 45 displays an image described later, as thedisplay device. The information terminal 40 is installed with a browserfor displaying an image on the touch panel 45, based on image datacreated by a Web server such as the store server 10

The scanner 46 reads a code symbol attached to the purchased commodity,for registration of the purchased commodity. The code symbol is a barcode, a two-dimensional data code, or the like, for example. The scanner46 may be a type to read a code symbol by being scanned with laserlight. The scanner 46 may be a type to read a code symbol from an imageimaged by an imaging device.

The reader 47 is an input device to input a member ID that is theinformation for log-in. The reader 47 reads a member ID recorded in arecording medium. When the recording medium is a magnetic card, thereader 47 is a magnetic card reader. When the recording medium is acontact type IC card, the reader 47 is an IC card reader. In addition,when the recording medium is a recording medium using RFID (RadioFrequency Identification) such as a non-contact type IC card, asmartphone, or the like, an RFID reader is used as the reader 47.

Each of the first sensor 48A and the second sensor 48B is attached tothe cart C, detects a state of an area in which an article (a commodityor the like) is placed on the cart C, and outputs a detection result.The first sensor 48A and the second sensor 48B are each a camera, forexample. Hereinafter, the first sensor 48A and the second sensor 48B arerespectively called the first camera 48A and the second camera 48B. Thefirst camera 48A and the second camera 48B are each a CCD (ChargeCoupled Device) camera. Each of the first camera 48A and the secondcamera 48B sets an area in which an article (a commodity or the like) isplaced on the cart C to an imaging area. The imaging area will bedescribed later.

The information terminal 40 includes a tablet terminal TM, for example.The tablet terminal TM has the processor 41, the main memory 42, theauxiliary storage device 43, the radio device 44 and the touch panel 45which have been described above. The scanner 46, the reader 47, thefirst camera 48A and the second camera 48B which have been describedabove are electrically connected to the tablet terminal TM.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the cart C attachedwith the information terminal 40. The cart C has a caster portion C1 formovement, a handle frame portion C2, and a basket receiving portion C3.The caster portion C1 has four wheels for making the cart C movesmoothly on the floor surface. The handle frame portion C2 includes apair of vertical frames C21, C21, and a handle bar C22. The pair ofvertical frames C21, C21 are erected at the rear wheels side of thecaster portion C1. The handle frame C22 couples the upper ends of theabove-described vertical frames C21, C21. The basket receiving portionC3 is provided extending from a halfway portion of the handle frameportion C2 toward a front direction of the cart C. The front directionof the cart C is a direction in which the cart C proceeds when thehandle bar C22 is pushed by a customer. The cart C can place shoppingbaskets BA for housing a commodity, on the basket receiving portion C3and the caster portion C1, respectively.

The scanner 46 is attached to a halfway portion of the handle bar C22,for example. The scanner 46 is attached to the handle bar C22 so that areading window is positioned at the front side. The above-describedfront side is a side at which a customer who holds the handle bar C22and pushes the cart C stands.

A pole C4 is attached to the vertical frame C21 at one side. The pole C4has a tip which is positioned above the handle bar C22. The tabletterminal TM is attached to the tip portion of the pole C4 so that ascreen of the touch panel 45 is headed for the front side. The reader 47is attached to the tablet terminal TM so that a card slit is positionedat the front side. The reader 47 in FIG. 4 is a magnetic card reader,for example. A battery BT is attached to a lower end side of the handleframe portion C2 across the vertical frames C21, C21. The battery BT isa power source for driving the tablet terminal TM and the scanner 46.

The first camera 48A is attached to a surface opposite to the readingwindow of the scanner 46 so that the basket receiving portion C3 becomesan imaging area. The second camera 48B is attached to a lower side ofthe basket receiving portion C3 so that the caster portion C1 becomes animaging area. The attaching positions of the first camera 48A and thesecond camera 48B are not limited to the above-described portions. Thefirst camera 48A has only to be attached to the cart C so that thebasket receiving portion C3 becomes the imaging area. The second camera48B has only to be attached to the cart C so that the caster portion C1becomes the imaging area.

FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are flow charts showing a main information processingwhich the processor 41 of the information terminal 40 executes. Theprocessor 41 executes the information processing shown in the flowcharts of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, in accordance with the program stored inthe main memory 42 or the auxiliary storage device 43. Hereinafter, themain information processing of the information terminal 40 will bedescribed using FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. The information processing describedbelow is an example. If the similar effect can be obtained, the contentof the information processing including a procedure thereof is notparticularly limited to this example.

When the program is started, the processor 41 of the informationterminal 40 starts a processing. In Act1, the processor 41 resets acount value n of a retry counter to “0”. The retry counter exists in thevolatile memory area of the main memory 42. The retry counter counts thenumber of times of operation for log-in by the customer M1 describedlater, and stores its count value n. When the count value n of the retrycounter is resets to “0”, the processing of the processor 41 proceeds toAct2. In Act2, the processor 41 makes the touch panel 55 display aninitial image. The content of the initial image is optional. Theprocessor 41 makes the touch panel 45 display an image to describe aprocedure of log-in, for example, as the initial image. It is preferablethat the initial image includes a guidance such that “is the cartvacant?”, for example. The information terminal 40 receives image dataof the initial image from the store server 10.

Here, when the customer M1 who is a member comes to the store, forexample, the customer M1 takes out the cart C from a cart storage space.The customer M1 confirms that the initial image is displayed on thetouch panel 45 of the information terminal 40 attached to the cart C.After having confirmed the initial image, the customer M1 performs anoperation for log-in to the information terminal 40. That is, thecustomer M1 makes the reader 47 read data of a recording medium in whicha member ID is recorded. And the customer M1 inputs a log-in passwordfrom the touch panel 45.

After having the processing of the above-described Act2, the processor41 waits for an operation for log-in in Act3. When the data of therecording medium recorded with the member ID is read by the reader 47,and the operation for log-in is accepted and the information for log-in(a log-in password, or the like) is inputted from the touch panel 45,the processor judges that the operation for log-in has been performed.When it is judged that the operation for log-in has been performed (YESin Act3), the processing of the processor 41 proceeds to Act4. In Act4,the processor 41 makes the first camera 48A and the second camera 48B tobe started. And the processor 41 analyzes images respectively imaged bythe first camera 48A and the second camera 48B. In addition, timings ofstarting the first camera 48A and the second camera 48B are not limited.For example, the timings of starting the first camera 48A and the secondcamera 48B may be a time of the processing of Act2 or Act3.

Next, in Act5, the processor 41 determines whether or not an article (acommodity or the like) other than the shopping basket BA is placed onthe basket receiving portion C3 and the caster portion C1, from theanalysis results of the images imaged by the first camera 48A and thesecond camera 48B, respectively. When any article including the shoppingbasket BA is not placed on the basket receiving portion C3 and thecaster portion C1, the processor 41 judges that an article is not placedon the basket receiving portion C3 and the caster portion C1. Or whenthe vacant shopping bag BA is placed on at least one of the basketreceiving portion C3 and the caster portion C1, the processor 41 judgesthat an article is not placed on the basket receiving portion C3 and thecaster portion C1. When it is judged that an article is not placed (NOin Act5), it is judged that the above-described operation for log-in(refer to the above-described Act3) is effective. And the processing ofthe processor 41 proceeds to Act12. The processing of Act12 will bedescribed later.

When an article other than the shopping bag BA is placed on at least oneof the basket receiving portion C3 and the caster portion C1, theprocessor 41 judges that the article is placed on the basket receivingportion C3 and the caster portion C1. When it is judged that the articleis placed on the basket receiving portion C3 and the caster portion C1(YES in Act5), the processing of the processor 41 proceeds to Act6. Forexample, when a commodity is housed in the shopping basket BA placed onthe basket receiving portion C3, the processor judges that the articleis placed on the basket receiving portion C3 (YES in Act5). Theprocessor 41 judges it to be doubtful that an article is placed on thebasket receiving portion C3 and the caster portion C1 before theoperation for log-in, and performs the following processings.

That is, in Act6, the processor 41 counts up the count value n of theretry counter by “1”. In Act7, the processor 41 confirms whether or notthe count value n of the retry counter has exceeded a prescribed retryupper limit number of times N. Here, the count value n of the retrycounter is an accumulated number of times of performing the operationfor log-in. When the count value n of the retry counter does not exceedthe retry upper limit number of times N (NO in Act7), the processing ofthe processor 41 proceeds to Act8. In Act8, the processor 41 judges thatthe above-described accepted operation for log-in (refer to theabove-described Act3) is ineffective, and notifies that the operationfor log-in is an ineffective operation to the customer M1. For example,the processor 41 displays a guidance such that “It has been judged thatthe operation for log-in is an ineffective operation. When a commodityor the like is placed on the cart, please remove it” on the touch panel45.

After the processor 41 has notified that the operation for log-in is anineffective operation, the processing of the processor 41 returns to theabove-described Act3. That is, in the above-described Act8, theprocessor 41 deals with the operation for log-in as if it had not beenperformed. And, in Act3, the processor 41 waits for an operation forlog-in again. When an operation for log-in is performed by the customerM1, that is, when the relevant operation for log-in is accepted by thetouch panel 45 (YES in Act3), the processor 41 analyzes the respectiveimaged images by the first camera 48A and the second camera 48B in Act4,as described above. As a result, when an article other than the shoppingbasket BA is not placed on the basket receiving portion C3 and thecaster portion C1 (NO in Act5), the processing of the processor 41proceeds to Act12 described later.

When an article other than the shopping basket BA is still placed on thebasket receiving portion C3 and the caster portion C1 (YES in Act5), theprocessing of the processor 41 proceeds to Act6 again. And, in theabove-described Act6, the count value n of the retry counter is furthercounted up. And, in the above-described Act7 again, the count value n ofthe retry counter and the retry upper limit number of times N arecompared again. At this time, when the retry upper limit number of timesN is set to “1”, for example, the processor 41 confirms that the countvalue n of the retry counter exceeds the retry upper limit number oftimes N in Act7. When the count value n of the retry counter exceeds theretry upper limit number of times N (YES in Act7), the processing of theprocessor 41 proceeds to Act9. In Act9, the processor 41 controls theradio device 44 so as to output an attendant notification command. Bythis control, the radio device 44 transmits the attendant notificationcommand by radio. The attendant notification command is a command tonotify the attendant of that the above-described operation for log-inhas been performed in the state in which the above-described commodityis placed on the above-described cart C. The attendant notificationcommand includes a terminal ID previously set for each of theinformation terminals 40 for individually identifying the relevantinformation terminal 40.

That is, the information terminal 40 has a terminal ID which is assignedfor being individually identified. The attendant notification command isreceived by the access point 70, and is transmitted to the store server10 via the network 60.

The store server 10 which has received the attendant notificationcommand transfers the attendant notification command to the monitoringterminal 50. That is, the attendant notification command is transmittedfrom the access point 70 by radio, and is received by the monitoringterminal 50. In the monitoring terminal 50 which has received theattendant notification command, a message is displayed for notifyingthat the operation for log-in has been judged to be ineffective in theinformation terminal 40 which is to be identified by the terminal IDincluded in the relevant attendant notification command. In other words,the monitoring terminal 50 displays a message to notify that theoperation for log-in has been judged to be ineffective in theinformation terminal 40 which is to be identified by the terminal IDincluded in the relevant attendant notification command, based on thereceived attendant notification command. The attendant M3 who hasconfirmed this message heads for the customer using the cart C attachedwith the above-described identified information terminal 40. Or theattendant M3 instructs another sales clerk to head for the customer whohas performed the operation for log-in which has been judged to beineffective.

For example, the information terminal 40 has an alarm lamp or a buzzer.At the time of controlling the radio device 44 so as to output theattendant notification command in Act9, the processor 41 outputs a drivesignal to the above-described alarm lamp or the buzzer. The alarm lampis lighted by this drive signal. Or the buzzer sounds. The attendant M3or the sales clerk moves aiming the cart C in which the alarm lamp islighting or the cart C in which the busser is sounding. Accordingly, theattendant M3 or the sales clerk can smoothly move to the cart C in whichthe above-described operation for log-in judged to be ineffective hasbeen performed.

The processor 41 which has controlled the radio device 44 so as tooutput the attendant notification command in the above-described Act9displays an attendant calling image on the touch panel 45 in Act10. Theattendant calling image includes a message such that “An attendant isbeing called. Please wait.”, for example. The processor 41 displays thisattendant calling image on the touch panel 45, and in addition, sets anoperation for log-in to be in a temporarily ineffective state, forexample. The member ID and the log-in password inputted by the operationfor log-in becomes a temporarily holding state, based on thistemporarily ineffective state.

The customer M1 who has confirmed the message waits for an attendant tocome. The attendant who has moved to the customer M1, that is theattendant M3 or the sales clerk, confirms whether or not an articleother than the shopping basket BA is placed on the cart C. When havingconfirmed that the article is placed, the attendant removes the article,and then operates the touch panel to input an instruction for releasingthe temporarily ineffective state of the operation for log-in.

The processor 41 which has controlled the display of the attendantcalling image in the above-described Act10 waits for an instructioninput for releasing the temporarily ineffective state of the operationfor log-in in Act1 l. When the instruction for releasing the temporarilyineffective state of the operation for log-in is inputted by theoperation of the touch panel 45 (YES in Act1 l), the processor judgesthat the operation for log-in which has been in the temporarilyineffective state is effective. And the processing of the processor 41proceeds to Act12.

In Act12, the processor 41 controls the radio device 44 so as to outputa log-in command based on the operation for log-in which has been judgedto be effective as described above. By this control, the radio device 44transmits the log-in command to the store server 10 by radio. The log-incommand includes the member ID and the log-in password which are theinformation for log-in inputted by the operation for log-in which hasbeen judged to be effective as described above. The log-in command isreceived by the access point 70, and is transmitted to the store server10 via the network 60.

Here, the computer mainly composed of the processor 41 executes theprocessings of Act4 and Act5 in accordance with the program, incooperation with the first camera 48A and the second camera 48B, tocompose first detection means. That is, the computer mainly composed ofthe processor 41 detects a state in which whether or not a commodity isplaced on the cart C that is a carrier to carry the commodity to bepurchased by the customer M1 who is a purchaser.

The computer mainly composed of the processor 41 executes the processingof Act3 in accordance with the program, in cooperation with the touchpanel 45 and the reader 47, to compose second detection means. That is,the computer mainly composed of the processor 41 detects an operationfor log-in by the customer M1 who is the purchaser to the informationterminal 40 moving with the cart C that is the carrier.

The computer mainly composed of the processor 41 executes theprocessings of Act5 to Act8 in accordance with the program, to composeinvalidation means. That is, when the second detection means detects theoperation for log-in, and the first detection means detects the state inwhich the commodity is placed on the cart C that is the carrier, thecomputer mainly composed of the processor 41 judges that the operationfor log-in is ineffective. In other words, when the second detectionmeans detects the operation for log-in, in the case in which the firstdetection means detects the state in which the commodity is placed onthe cart C that is the carrier, the computer mainly composed of theprocessor 41 judges that the operation for log-in is ineffective. And,the computer mainly composed of the processor 41 deals with the relevantoperation for log-in as if it had not been performed (refer to theabove-described Act8), or sets the relevant operation for log-in to bein the temporarily ineffective state (refer to the above-described Act9and Act10). In addition, when the second detection means detects theoperation for log-in, and the first detection means detects the state inwhich a commodity is not placed on the cart C that is the carrier, thecomputer mainly composed of the processor 41 judges that the operationfor log-in is effective. In other words, when the second detection meansdetects the operation for log-in, in the case in which the firstdetection means detects the state in which a commodity is not placed onthe cart C that is the carrier, the computer mainly composed of theprocessor 41 judges that the operation for log-in is effective.

The computer mainly composed of the processor 41 executes theprocessings of Act8 and Act9 in accordance with the program, incooperation with the radio device 44, to compose notification means.That is, when the second detection means detects the operation forlog-in, and the first detection means detects the state in which thecommodity is placed on the cart C that is the carrier, the computermainly composed of the processor 41 notifies that the operation forlog-in has been performed in the state in which the commodity is placedon the cart C. In other words, when the second detection means detectsthe operation for log-in, in the case in which the first detection meansdetects the state in which the commodity is placed on the cart C that isthe carrier, the computer mainly composed of the processor 41 notifiesthat the operation for log-in has been performed in the state in whichthe commodity is placed on the cart C. Its notification destination isthe monitoring terminal 50 that is an example of a terminal for a salesclerk to be connected to the information terminal 40 via a radio networkand a wired network.

The store server 10 which has received the log-in command searches themember database 12. The store server 10 determines whether or not alog-in password of the member data record identified by the member IDincluded in the log-in command is coincident with the log-in passwordincluded in the relevant log-in command. When the log-in passwords arecoincident, the store server 10 transmits a response command to approvethe log-in to the information terminal 40 of the log-in commandtransmission source. When the log-in passwords are not coincident, thestore server 10 transmits a response command to negate the log-in to theinformation terminal 40 of the log-in command transmission source. Theresponse command is transmitted from the access point 70 by radio, andis received by the radio device 44 which the information terminal 40 ofthe log-in command transmission source has.

The processor 41 which has controlled the transmission of the log-incommand in Act12 waits in Act13 until the response command from thestore server 10 is received. When the response command to approve thelog-in can be received within a definite time after the log-in commandhas been transmitted, (YES in Act13), the processing of the processor 41proceeds to Act14 shown in FIG. 6.

In Act14, the processor 41 displays a registration image P1 on the touchpanel 45. The registration image P1 is an image for displaying a name, aprice, a total amount, and so on of the registered purchased commodity.

On the other hand, when the response command to approve the log-incannot be received within the definite time after the log-in command hasbeen transmitted, (NO in Act13), the processor 41 determines theoperation for log-in as an error, and finishes the processing. Forexample, when the response command to negate the log-in is received, theprocessor 41 determines the operation for log-in as an error, andfinishes the processing.

The customer M1 who has confirmed the registration image walks aroundthe sales floor, and houses a commodity which the customer M1 tries topurchase, that is a purchased commodity, on the cart C. For example, thecustomer M1 houses the purchased commodity in the shopping basket BAplaced on the basket receiving portion C3 or the caster portion C1.Before housing the purchased commodity on the cart C, the customer M1operates the scanner 46 for the registration of the purchased commodity,to make a code symbol attached to the purchased commodity to be read bythe scanner 46. When the scanner 46 reads the code symbol, the commodityID indicated by the code symbol is inputted to the information terminal40. By this means, the commodity identified by the commodity ID isregistered as the purchased commodity.

A code symbol may not be attached to a certain commodity such as freshfood. When a code symbol is not attached to the purchased commodity, thecustomer M1 touches a commodity button corresponding to the purchasedcommodity from commodity buttons to be displayed on the touch panel 45.The commodity button is touched, and thereby a commodity ID of thecommodity corresponding to the commodity button is inputted to theinformation terminal 40. That is, the commodity to be identified by thecommodity ID is registered.

The processor 41 which has displayed the registration image in theabove-described Act14 confirms next in Act15 whether or not theabove-described commodity registration has been performed. When thecommodity registration has not been performed (NO in Act15), theprocessing of the processor 41 proceeds to Act16. In Act16, theprocessor 41 confirms whether or not accounting has been instructed bythe customer M1 via the registration image of the touch panel 45. Theregistration image includes a touch button of “accounting”. When thetouch button of “accounting” is touched (YES in Act16), the processor 41recognizes that the accounting has been instructed. When the accountinghas not been instructed (NO in Act16), the processing of the processor41 returns to Act15. That is, the processor 41 waits in Act15 and Act16until the commodity registration is performed or the accounting isinstructed.

When the processor 41 confirms that the commodity registration has beenperformed in the waiting state of Act15 and Act16 (YES in Act15), theprocessing of the processor 41 proceeds to Act17. In Act17, theprocessor 41 controls the radio device 44 so as to transmit a commodityregistration command to the store server 10. By this control, the radiodevice 44 transmits the commodity registration command to the storeserver 10 by radio. The commodity registration command includes theterminal ID of the relevant information terminal and the commodity ID ofthe registered commodity. The commodity registration command is receivedby the access point 70, and is transmitted to the store server 10 viathe network 60.

The store server 10 which has received the commodity registrationcommand detects the commodity ID from the commodity registrationcommand. The store server 10 searches the commodity database 11 to reada commodity data record including the commodity ID. The store server 10generates commodity sales data, based on data such as the commodityname, the price, and so on included in the commodity data record. Thestore server 10 stores the commodity sales data in association with theterminal ID included in the commodity registration command. The storeserver 10 transmits a registration image added with the commodity name,the price and so on of the commodity sales data to the informationterminal 40 of the commodity registration command transmission source.The data of the registration image is transmitted from the access point70 by radio, and is received by the radio device 44 which theinformation terminal 40 of the commodity registration commandtransmission source has.

The processing of the processor 41 which has controlled the transmissionof the commodity registration command in the above-described Act17returns to Act14. The processor 41 displays the registration image onthe touch panel 45, based on the registration image data received fromthe store server 10. The processor 41 becomes in the waiting state ofAct15 and Act16, again. In this waiting state, when confirming that anext commodity registration has been performed (YES in Act15), theprocessor 41 repeats the processings of Act17 and Act14. Accordingly,the commodity names, prices and so on of the registered commodities aresequentially added to the above-described registration image.

When the processor 41 detects that accounting has been instructed (YESin Act16) in the waiting state of Act15 and Act16, the processing of theprocessor 41 proceeds to Act18. The processor controls the radio device44 so as to transmit an accounting command to the store server 10 inAct18. The radio device 44 transmits the accounting command to the storeserver 10 by radio. The accounting command includes the terminal ID ofthe relevant information terminal 40. The accounting command is receivedby the access point 70, and is transmitted to the store server 10 viathe network 60.

The store server 10 which has received the accounting command judgeswhether or not self-accounting is allowed, based on the commodity salesdata stored in association with the terminal ID included in theaccounting command. For example, when sales data of a commodity of drugmedicine in which a special sales person has to perform informationprovision to the customer M1 is included in the relevant commodity salesdata, self-accounting is not allowed. For example, when the commoditysales data resulting in the registration error is included,self-accounting is not allowed.

When the self-accounting is not allowed, the store server 10 transmits aresponse command of self-accounting non-permission to the informationterminal 40 of the accounting command transmission source. The responsecommand of self-accounting non-permission includes image data forguiding the customer to the face-to face register G1.

When the self-accounting is allowed, the store server 10 transmits aresponse command of self-accounting permission to the informationterminal 40 of the accounting command transmission source. The responsecommand of self-accounting permission includes image data for guidingthe customer to the self register G2.

The processor 41 which has controlled the transmission of the accountingcommand in the above-described Act18 waits for a response command fromthe store server 10 in Act19. When the response command of theself-accounting non-permission is received from the store server 10 (NOin Act19), the processing of the processor 41 proceeds to Act20. Theprocessor 41 displays a guide image to the face-to-face register G1 onthe touch panel 45, based on the image data included in the responsecommand, in Act20. The guide image includes a message such that “Pleaseperform accounting at the face-to-face register.”, for example.

When the response command of the self-accounting permission is receivedfrom the store server 10 (YES in Act19), the processing of the processor41 proceeds to Act21. The processor 41 displays a guide image to theself register G2 on the touch panel 45, based on the image data includedin the response command, in Act21. The guide image includes a messagesuch that “Please perform accounting at the self register.”, forexample.

After having finished the processing of Act20 or Act21, the processor 41finishes the processing in accordance with the program.

In the store introduced with the cart POS system of the presentembodiment in this manner, when using the cart C, the customer M1performs an operation for log-in to the information terminal 40 attachedto the cart C. At this time, when an article other than the shoppingbasket BA, such as an unregistered commodity, is placed on the cart C,it is judged that the operation for log-in is ineffective. That is, whenan unregistered commodity is placed on the cart C before the operationfor log-in, self-registration (registration of commodity information bya customer oneself) using the cart C is inhibited, unless the commodityis removed. Accordingly, injustice such that self-registration of apurchased commodity is performed while an unregistered commodity isplaced on the cart C, and the unregistered commodity is taken out fromthe store hidden in the purchased commodity without being subjected toaccounting can be prevented from occurring.

When it is judged that the operation for log-in is ineffective, aguidance is displayed on the touch panel 45 of the information terminal40. The guidance shall include that the operation for log-in has beenjudged to be an ineffective operation since an article other than theshopping basket BA is placed on the cart C, for example, and that anoperation for log-in anew is suggested after having removed the article.By doing so, the customer M1 can immediately know the reason why theoperation for log-in has been judged to be ineffective. For example, thecustomer M1 happens to perform an operation for log-in to theinformation terminal 40 after having placed a reusable shopping bag onthe cart C. In such a case, the customer M1 may perform an operation forlog-in to the information terminal 40 again, after having removed thereusable shopping bag.

It is supposed that there is the customer M1 who performs an operationfor log-in again without removing an article (a commodity or the like)when the operation for log-in has been judged to be ineffective. Whenretry of an operation for log-in is performed, and the accumulatednumber of times of retry exceeds the upper limit number of times N,notification is made to the monitoring terminal 50. Accordingly, theattendant M3 can find that there is a customer who cannot perform anoperation for log-in because an article other than the shopping basketis placed on the cart C, via the monitoring terminal 50. In such a case,the attendant M3 may properly deal with the case in such a manner as togo to the customer M1.

As described above, the embodiment of the log-in control apparatus whichcontrols the operation for log-in to the information terminal in thestate in which an unregistered commodity is placed on the carrier, andthereby can prevent the unjust accounting from occurring. But theembodiment is not limited to the above-described apparatus.

In the above-described embodiment, the case has been exemplified inwhich the information terminal 40 has the whole of the first detectionmeans, the second detection means and the invalidation means which arenecessary for functioning as the log-in control apparatus. As anotherembodiment, the information terminal 40 may have the first detectionmeans and the second detection means, and the store server 10 connectedto the information terminal 40 via the network or an exclusive servermay have the invalidation means. By doing so, the log-in controlapparatus can be configured by the information terminal 40, and thestore server 10 or the exclusive server.

In the above-described embodiment, the first camera 48A and the secondcamera 48 b have been used for detecting that an article is placed onthe cart C. In contrast, if a cart in which an article cannot be placedon the caster portion C1 is used, it goes without saying that theembodiment may not have the second camera 48B. In addition, weightsensors in place of cameras may be provided respectively on the basketreceiving portion C3 and the caster portion C1, as the first sensor 48Aand the second sensor 48B. And states in which articles other than theshopping basket BA are placed on the basket receiving portion C3 and thecaster portion C1 may be detected by the weight sensors, respectively.

In the above-described embodiment, the first detection means hasdetected the state in which an article other than the shopping basket isplaced on the cart C, but may detect a state in which an article inaddition to the shopping basket are placed on the cart C. By doing so,even when the vacant shopping bag BA is placed on the cart C, theoperation for log-in is judged to be ineffective. But even in such acase, injustice such that an unregistered article is taken out from thestore without being subjected to accounting can be prevented fromoccurring. Since the customer M1 has only to perform an operation forlog-in before placing the shopping basket BA on the cart C, this doesnot become an obstacle in practical affairs.

The first detection means may detect a state in which a commodity isplaced in the shopping basket BA. A commodity and another article suchas a reusable shopping bag may be discriminated by analysis of theimages thereof. By doing so, when a reusable shopping bag and so onother than a commodity are placed on the cart C, it is possible to judgethat the operation for log-in is effective.

In the above-described embodiment, it has been exemplified that thereader 47 is made to read the data of the recording medium recorded withthe member ID, and the log-in password is inputted from the touch panel45, as the operation for log-in. However, the operation for log-in isnot limited to this. For example, it is only necessary that reader 47 ismade to simply read the data of the recording medium recorded with themember ID.

In the above-described embodiment, the transfer destination of theattendant notification command has been set to the monitoring terminal50. As another embodiment, the transfer destination of the attendantnotification command may be set to the POS terminal 20. In the case,since it is notified to an operator of the POS terminal 20 that there isa customer who cannot perform an operation for log-in, the operator canmake a proper response.

In FIG. 5, the processings of Act1, Act6, Act7 and Act8 may be omitted.That is, when the processor 41 determines that an article is present inAct5, the processing of the processor proceeds to the processing ofAct9, and an attendant notification command may be outputted in Act9.Or, in FIG. 5, the processings of Act7, Act9, Act10 and Act11 may beomitted. That is, when the processor 41 determines that an article ispresent in Act5, the processing of the processor 41 proceeds to theprocessing of Act8, and the processor 41 judges that the operation forlog-in is ineffective in Act8, and has only to deal with the relevantoperation for log-in as if it had not been performed.

While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments havebeen presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit thescope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described hereinmay be embodied in a variety of other forms; further, various omissions,substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments describedherein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions.The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover suchforms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of theinventions.

What is claimed is:
 1. A log-in control apparatus which controls anoperation for log-in to an information terminal moving along with acarrier for carrying a commodity to be purchased, comprising: a sensorwhich is attached to the carrier and detects whether or not thecommodity has been placed on the carrier, and then outputs a detectionresult accordingly; an input device which accepts the operation forlog-in to the information terminal to input information for log-in; amemory which stores a program to control the operation for log-in; and aprocessor which executes the program to: detect whether or not thecommodity is placed on the carrier, based on the detection result of thesensor attached to the carrier, detect the operation for log-in when theinformation for log-in is input via the input device, display, when theoperation for log-in is detected, an attendant calling image on a touchpanel of the input device if the commodity is detected as placed on thecarrier, and set the operation for log-in to be in an ineffective statealong with the displaying of the attendant calling image, and change theineffective state of the operation for log-in to the effective statewhen the input device receives an instruction from an attendant forreleasing the ineffective state of the operation for log-in.
 2. Thelog-in control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: when theprocessor detects the operation for log-in, the processor determinesthat the operation for log-in is effective if the processor also detectsthe commodity is not placed on the carrier.
 3. The log-in controlapparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a radio device toperform communication with an external device; wherein, when theprocessor detects the operation for log-in, the processor detects thestate in which the commodity is placed on the carrier, the processornotifies the external device by the radio device that the operation forlog-in has been performed with the commodity placed on the carrier. 4.The log-in control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: theprocessor notifies a sales clerk terminal connected via the radio devicethat the operation for log-in has been performed with the commodityplaced on the carrier.
 5. A control method of a log-in control apparatuswhich controls an operation for log-in to an information terminal movingalong with a carrier for carrying a commodity to be purchased, thecontrol method comprising: detecting whether or not the commodity isplaced on the carrier, using a sensor attached to the carrier; detectingthe operation for log-in to the information terminal using an inputdevice included in the information terminal; displaying, when theoperation for log-in is detected, an attendant calling image on a touchpanel of the input device if the commodity is detected as placed on thecarrier, and setting the operation for log-in to be in an ineffectivestate along with the displaying of the attendant calling image, andchanging the ineffective state of the operation for log-in to theeffective state when the input device receives an instruction from anattendant for releasing the ineffective state of the operation forlog-in.
 6. An information terminal which is attached to a carrier forcarrying a commodity to be purchased and inputs information of thecommodity to be purchased for registration of the commodity to bepurchased, the information terminal comprising: a sensor which isattached to the carrier and detects whether or not the commodity isplaced on the carrier, and then outputs a detection result accordingly;a touch panel which accepts an operation for log-in to the informationterminal to input information for log-in; a memory which stores aprogram to control the operation for log-in to the information terminal;and a processor which executes the program to: detect whether or not theoperation for log-in has been received by the touch panel, when it isdetected that the operation for log-in has been received by the touchpanel, determine whether or not the commodity is placed on the carrier,based on the detection result of the sensor, display, when the operationfor log-in is detected, an attendant calling image on the touch panel ifthe commodity is detected as placed on the carrier, and set theoperation for log-in to be in an ineffective state along with thedisplaying of the attendant calling image, and change the ineffectivestate of the operation for log-in to the effective state when the touchpanel receives an instruction from an attendant for releasing theineffective state of the operation for log-in.
 7. The informationterminal according to claim 6, wherein: when the processor detects thatthe operation for log-in has been received by the touch panel, theprocessor checks whether or not an accumulated number of times ofperforming the operation for log-in exceeds a prescribed upper limitnumber of times when the processor determines that the commodity isplaced on the carrier, and if the accumulated number of times ofperforming the operation for log-in does not exceed the prescribed upperlimit number of times, the processor sets the operation for log-in tothe ineffective state, and waits for acceptance of a new operationfor-log-in by the touch panel.
 8. The information terminal according toclaim 7, further comprising: a radio device to perform communicationwith an external device; wherein, when the accumulated number of timesof performing the operation for log-in exceeds the prescribed upperlimit number of times, the processor transmits a notification command bythe radio device for notifying the external device that the operationfor log-in has been accepted with the commodity placed on the carrier.9. The information terminal according to claim 8, wherein: when theoperation for log-in has been accepted by the touch panel and theprocessor determines that the commodity is not placed on the carrier,the processor transmits a log-in command for transmitting theinformation for log-in input in the operation for log-in to the externaldevice by the radio device.
 10. The information terminal according toclaim 9, further comprising: a scanner to read a code symbol attached tothe commodity for registration of the commodity to be purchased, whereinwhen the processor receives, as a response to the transmitted log-incommand, a response command to approve log-in to the informationterminal from the external device by the radio device, the processormakes the touch panel display a registration image including informationof the commodity whose code symbol has been read by the scanner, and anaccounting button to instruct accounting of the relevant commodity.